Scottish manufacturers cut energy costs and emissions through £54m data programme
Manufacturers across Scotland have cut energy bills and carbon emissions by nearly a third through a £53.8 million programme that helped firms harness the power of their data.
More than 140 Scottish businesses took part in the UK-wide Smart Manufacturing Data Hub (SMDH), led in Scotland by innovation centre The Data Lab.
The projects cut energy costs by an average of 28 per cent, saving £183,000 in total, while carbon emissions dropped by 30 per cent – equal to 162 tonnes.
Businesses also reduced wasted energy by 22 per cent, saving more than 650,000 kilowatt hours.
The Data Lab, Scotland’s centre for data and artificial intelligence, described the scheme as the largest consortium project in its 11-year history.
It led a team of 18 data scientists, many of them recent graduates, to deliver practical solutions for firms ranging from food producers to engineering companies.
The organisation also helped attract more than £4 million of co-investment into Scottish projects, enabling companies to work with experts, train staff and adopt new technologies.
Adam Turner, who led the SMDH programme in Scotland and is head of external funding at The Data Lab, said: “Manufacturers often don’t think of themselves as data-rich, but when we speak to teams on the factory floor, they’re amazed by the wealth of information they already have.
“From food and drink to the energy sector, we’ve helped companies unlock the value in that data through practical solutions built by our team of data scientists.
“That includes tools like our energy insights platform, which helps firms understand the types of energy they’re using and where they can cut back, and systems that identify how efficiently their machines are running.
“These solutions are helping businesses save money, cut emissions and improve performance.”
One firm to benefit was Stewart-Buchanan Gauges in Kilsyth, North Lanarkshire, which produces specialist pressure and temperature gauges.
It received a small business grant and support from The Data Lab to trial new energy-monitoring equipment across several machines.
IT manager Jim Boyle said the project had a direct impact on costs.
He said: “When I started, we had no data capture from any of the factory machines.
“Thanks to SMDH, all the machines now have their own monitoring solutions and dashboards, and since we’ve started monitoring them, we’ve noticed a drop in the bills.
“So it’s saving us money, and in an employee-owned business that money goes straight back to the staff.
“Understanding all this data will help us know where we make our money. This is how we safeguard this business’s future.”
In total, 320 firms across the UK took part in more than 200 SMDH-backed projects aimed at improving machine efficiency, reducing waste and tackling supply chain disruption.
More than 4,000 people also gained new data skills, with the creation of an online community of over 400 manufacturing professionals sharing tools and insights.
The SMDH programme formed part of the UK Government’s £300 million Made Smarter Innovation Challenge, which aims to accelerate the adoption of digital technologies across the manufacturing sector.
Alongside The Data Lab and lead partner Ulster University, the project’s consortium included the University of Cambridge, University of Dundee, Scottish Engineering, Energy Systems Catapult, Industry Wales, and others.